787 research outputs found
Optical and Infrared Light Curves of the Eclipsing X-ray Binary V395 Car = 2S 0921-630
We present results of optical and infrared photometric monitoring of the
eclipsing low-mass X-ray binary V395 Car (2S 0921-630). Our observations reveal
a clear, repeating orbital modulation with an amplitude of about one magnitude
in B, and V and a little less in J. Combining our data with archival
observations spanning about 20 years, we derive an updated ephemeris with
orbital period 9.0026+/-0.0001d. We attribute the modulation to a combination
of the changing aspect of the irradiated face of the companion star and
eclipses of the accretion disk around the neutron star. Both appear to be
necessary as a secondary eclipse of the companion star is clearly seen. We
model the B, V, and J lightcurves using a simple model of an accretion disk and
companion star and find a good fit is possible for binary inclinations of
82.2+/-1.0 degrees. We estimate the irradiating luminosity to be about 8x10^35
erg/s, in good agreement with X-ray constraints.Comment: 6 pages, accepted for publication in MNRA
Using binary stars to bound the mass of the graviton
Interacting white dwarf binary star systems, including helium cataclysmic
variable (HeCV) systems, are expected to be strong sources of gravitational
radiation, and should be detectable by proposed space-based laser
interferometer gravitational wave observatories such as LISA. Several HeCV star
systems are presently known and can be studied optically, which will allow
electromagnetic and gravitational wave observations to be correlated.
Comparisons of the phases of a gravitational wave signal and the orbital light
curve from an interacting binary white dwarf star system can be used to bound
the mass of the graviton. Observations of typical HeCV systems by LISA could
potentially yield an upper bound on the inverse mass of the graviton as strong
as km (
eV), more than two orders of magnitude better than present solar system derived
bounds.Comment: 21 pages plus 4 figures; ReVTe
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What Our Hands Say: Exploring Gesture Use in Subgroups of Children With Language Delay
Purpose
The aim of this study was to investigate whether children with receptive-expressive language delay (R/ELD) and expressive-only language delay (ELD) differ in their use of gesture; to examine relationships between their use of gesture, symbolic comprehension, and language; to consider implications for assessment and for the nature of problems underlying different profiles of early language delay.
Method
Twelve children with ELD (8 boys, 4 girls) and 10 children with R/ELD (8 boys, 2 girls), aged 2–3 years, were assessed on measures of gesture use and symbolic comprehension.
Results
Performance of the R/ELD group was significantly poorer than performance of the ELD group on measures of gesture and symbolic comprehension. Gesture use and symbolic comprehension were significantly associated with receptive language, but associations with expressive language were not significant.
Conclusions
Findings of this study support previous research pointing to links between gesture and language development, and more specifically, between delays in gesture, symbolic understanding, and receptive rather than expressive language. Given potentially important implications for the nature of problems underlying ELD and R/ELD, and for assessment of children with language delay, this preliminary study invites further investigation comparing the use of different gesture types in samples of children matched on age and nonverbal IQ
Long-term culture captures injury-repair cycles of colonic stem cells
The colonic epithelium can undergo multiple rounds of damage and repair, often in response to excessive inflammation. The responsive stem cell that mediates this process is unclear, in part because of a lack of in vitro models that recapitulate key epithelial changes that occur in vivo during damage and repair. Here, we identify a Hop
High Speed Photometry of SDSS J013701.06-091234.9
We present high speed photometry of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey cataclysmic
variable SDSS J013701.06-091234.9 in quiescence and during its 2003 December
superoutburst. The orbital modulation at 79.71\pm0.01 min is double humped; the
superhump period is 81.702\pm0.007 min. Towards the end of the outburst late
superhumps with a period of 81.29\pm0.01 min were observed. We argue that this
is a system of very low mass transfer rate, and that it probably has a long
outburst interval.Comment: 5 pages, 8 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA
In-the-Gap SU UMa-Type Dwarf Nova, Var73 Dra with a Supercycle of about 60 Days
An intensive photometric-observation campaign of the recently discovered SU
UMa-type dwarf nova, Var73 Dra was conducted from 2002 August to 2003 February.
We caught three superoutbursts in 2002 October, December and 2003 February. The
recurrence cycle of the superoutburst (supercycle) is indicated to be 60
d, the shortest among the values known so far in SU UMa stars and close to
those of ER UMa stars. The superhump periods measured during the first two
superoutbursts were 0.104885(93) d, and 0.10623(16) d, respectively. A
0.10424(3)-d periodicity was detected in quiescence. The change rate of the
superhump period during the second superoutburst was , which
is an order of magnitude larger than the largest value ever known. Outburst
activity has changed from a phase of frequent normal outbursts and infrequent
superoutbursts in 2001 to a phase of infrequent normal outbursts and frequent
superoutbursts in 2002. Our observations are negative to an idea that this star
is an related object to ER UMa stars in terms of the duty cycle of the
superoutburst and the recurrence cycle of the normal outburst. However, to
trace the superhump evolution throughout a superoutburst, and from quiescence
more effectively, may give a fruitful result on this matter.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures, submitted to A&
Minority and mode conversion heating in (3He)-H JET plasma
Radio frequency (RF) heating experiments have recently been conducted in JET (He-3)-H plasmas. This type of plasmas will be used in ITER's non-activated operation phase. Whereas a companion paper in this same PPCF issue will discuss the RF heating scenario's at half the nominal magnetic field, this paper documents the heating performance in (He-3)-H plasmas at full field, with fundamental cyclotron heating of He-3 as the only possible ion heating scheme in view of the foreseen ITER antenna frequency bandwidth. Dominant electron heating with global heating efficiencies between 30% and 70% depending on the He-3 concentration were observed and mode conversion (MC) heating proved to be as efficient as He-3 minority heating. The unwanted presence of both He-4 and D in the discharges gave rise to 2 MC layers rather than a single one. This together with the fact that the location of the high-field side fast wave (FW) cutoff is a sensitive function of the parallel wave number and that one of the locations of the wave confluences critically depends on the He-3 concentration made the interpretation of the results, although more complex, very interesting: three regimes could be distinguished as a function of X[He-3]: (i) a regime at low concentration (X[He-3] < 1.8%) at which ion cyclotron resonance frequency (ICRF) heating is efficient, (ii) a regime at intermediate concentrations (1.8 < X[He-3] < 5%) in which the RF performance is degrading and ultimately becoming very poor, and finally (iii) a good heating regime at He-3 concentrations beyond 6%. In this latter regime, the heating efficiency did not critically depend on the actual concentration while at lower concentrations (X[He-3] < 4%) a bigger excursion in heating efficiency is observed and the estimates differ somewhat from shot to shot, also depending on whether local or global signals are chosen for the analysis. The different dynamics at the various concentrations can be traced back to the presence of 2 MC layers and their associated FW cutoffs residing inside the plasma at low He-3 concentration. One of these layers is approaching and crossing the low-field side plasma edge when 1.8 < X[He-3] < 5%. Adopting a minimization procedure to correlate the MC positions with the plasma composition reveals that the different behaviors observed are due to contamination of the plasma. Wave modeling not only supports this interpretation but also shows that moderate concentrations of D-like species significantly alter the overall wave behavior in He-3-H plasmas. Whereas numerical modeling yields quantitative information on the heating efficiency, analytical work gives a good description of the dominant underlying wave interaction physics
Irradiation of the secondary star in X-ray Nova Scorpii 1994 (=GRO J1655--40)
We have obtained intermediate resolution optical spectra of the black-hole
candidate Nova Sco 1994 in June 1996, when the source was in an X-ray/optical
active state (R~15.05). We measure the radial velocity curve of the secondary
star and obtain a semi-amplitude of 279+/-10 km/s; a value which is 30 per cent
larger than the value obtained when the source is in quiescence. Our large
value for K_2 is consistent with 60 +9,-7 per cent of the secondary star's
surface being heated; compared to 35 per cent, which is what one would expect
if only the inner face of the secondary star were irradiated. Effects such as
irradiation-induced flows on the secondary star may be important in explaining
the observed large value for K_2.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, accepted by MNRA
The Ultraviolet Spectral Energy Distributions of Quiescent Black Holes and Neutron Stars
We present HST/ACS ultraviolet photometry of three quiescent black hole X-ray
transients: X-ray Nova Muscae 1991 (GU Mus), GRO J0422+32 (V518 Per), and X-ray
Nova Vel 1993 (MM Vel), and one neutron star system, Aql X-1. These are the
first quiescent UV detections of these objects. All are detected at a much
higher level than expected from their companion stars alone and are significant
detections of the accretion flow. Three of the four UV excesses can be
characterized by a black body of temperature 5000-13,000K, hotter than expected
for the quiescent outer disk. A good fit could not be found for MM Vel. The
source of the black-body-like emission is most likely a heated region of the
inner disk. Contrary to initial indications from spectroscopy there does not
appear to be a systematic difference in the UV luminosity or spectral shape
between black holes and neutron star systems. However combining our new data
with earlier spectroscopy and published X-ray luminosities there is a
significant difference in the X-ray to UV flux ratios with the neutron stars
exhibiting Lx/Luv about 10x higher than the black hole systems. Since both
bandpasses are expected to be dominated by accretion light this suggests the
difference in X-ray luminosities cannot simply reflect differences in quiescent
accretion rates and so is a more robust discriminator between the black hole
and neutron star populations than the comparison of X-ray luminosities alone.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa
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